


As Simple As It Gets

by todxrxki



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, M/M, and yet they fall in love, kenma works at a coffee shop and akaashi is a dramatic mess, nothing but fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 17:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18707011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/todxrxki/pseuds/todxrxki
Summary: “Hey, Kenma’s coming in this afternoon, so you should stop back by here then.”Akaashi gives him a questioning look. “I didn’t ask about Kozume-san.”“Yeah, but you still wanted to know,” Hinata says with a giggle.Akaashi Keiji does not like coffee, and yet he keeps coming back to the same coffee shop, where a certain blonde boy works, every single day.





	As Simple As It Gets

Akaashi Keiji is, by and large, not a coffee person.

 

He’s aware that everyone else at his school thrives on it. He’s heard far too many stories from his friends of their caffeine-fueled all-nighters. And it’s not as though he doesn’t indulge in caffeine; he just prefers it to come from other sources - tea, for example. Tea tastes better, is easier to drink, and doesn’t give him the shakes.

 

So there’s really no good reason he should be walking into a coffee shop he’s certain doesn’t sell anything but coffee. Unfortunately, it seems that while his brain may generally be very logical, his heart is not always so.

 

“Hey, Akaashi-san!” comes a loud voice from behind the counter. Akaashi groans silently to himself. It’s not as though Hinata Shouyou isn’t great in his own way, but unfortunately, Hinata is far from the person Akaashi is here to see.

 

Nonetheless, he makes himself smile in greeting. “Hello, Hinata-kun. It’s good to see you.”

 

“Yeah, good morning!” Hinata chirps. “What kind of coffee can I get for you?”

 

“Anything that tastes as far from coffee as possible,” Akaashi mumbles.

 

Hinata just laughs as he punches the buttons on the register. “Hey, Kenma’s coming in this afternoon, so you should stop back by here then.”

 

Akaashi gives him a questioning look. “I wasn’t… I didn’t ask about Kozume-san.”

 

“Yeah, but you still wanted to know,” Hinata says with a giggle, and Akaashi very much would like to melt into the ground. The primary problem with Hinata’s statement is that it’s not incorrect. And if even someone as… obtuse as Hinata could pick up on it, that means that Akaashi has been fairly transparent in his endeavors. _God, please don’t tell me Kozume-san has figured me out,_ Akaashi pleads.

 

Hinata presents him with a very sugary beverage, the knowing smile still painted on his face. Akaashi grumbles out a thank you and hands over some cash. Hinata waves a very obnoxious wave in response. “See ya later, Akaashi-san!”

 

Akaashi grumbles to himself. _He most certainly will not._

 

.

 

At two PM, two grueling classes later, Akaashi stumbles back in the door of the coffee shop.

 

 _This is truly a ridiculous decision,_ his brain yells. The yelling of his brain simply increases in volume as he spots Hinata leaning over the counter. The curve of Hinata's mouth suggests complete and utter self-satisfaction. “Hey, Akaashi-san, you came back! Kenma, Akaashi-san is here! Come say hi!”

 

Groaning, Akaashi contemplates turning back and making a run for it, but that plan comes to a screeching halt when Kozume Kenma emerges from the break room.

 

Akaashi is not a poet. However, he thinks that there is something poetic about the strands of Kozume Kenma’s hair: light at the ends, dark at the roots; about the way his eyes consist of a spectrum: obsidian in the center, golden around the edges; about the curve of his mouth and the dark of his eyebrows and the slope of his nose. He wishes he were an artist, so he could commit every single line of Kozume Kenma to paper. Perhaps it’s a little overdramatic, but his mind tends to go into overdrive when Kozume steps out and makes direct eye contact with him, the corner of his mouth curving up in just the slightest bit.

 

“Hello, Keiji,” Kozume says with a nod. “Shouyou said you’d be stopping by.”

 

His own name sounds angelic when Kozume says it in his soft voice. Akaashi’s well aware that Kozume calls everyone by first name if they allow it, so really, hearing his first name from Kozume’s lips shouldn’t be this big of a deal. But still, here he is: heart pounding wildly, blood rising to his cheeks. He's sure that observant Kozume will notice it. “H-hello, Kozume-san,” Akaashi gets out, then mentally slaps himself for his awkwardness.

 

“You’ve started drinking more and more coffee,” Kozume says with a slight shake of his head. “You should really slow down, or you’ll end up addicted.”

 

Akaashi can’t help but give a little smile in response. “Well, Kozume-san, I don’t know if you’re one to talk. Hinata-kun has told me all about your coffee habits.”

 

“I’m just warning you so that you don’t end up like me,” Kozume mutters, sounding bemused. “And stop calling me Kozume-san already. It’s Kenma.”

 

“Uh, I suppose I could try?”

 

Kozume rolls his eyes. “It makes me feel weird calling you Keiji if you won’t call me Kenma in return.”

 

“Fine, you win, Kenma-sa- I mean, Kenma,” Keiji says, looking up at Ko- at _Kenma_ , who’s looking at him with those gleaming eyes that always make him feel the slightest bit faint with their intensity. “And I’ll take an…. um….”

 

“We have caffeine-free drinks, you know.”

 

Keiji blinks. “Okay. I’ll take the one that tastes the least like coffee.”

 

“One of these days I’ll get you to the point where you can order a black coffee and drink it plain,” Kenma grumbles to himself. Akaashi gets out his wallet to pay, but Kenma holds up one of his hands, giving a slight shake of his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

“You don’t have to do that,” Akaashi insists.

 

“Please,” Kenma says. “It’s not like old man Ukai ever checks the registers anyways.”

 

Kenma’s eyes are warm, and Keiji feels like he might actually melt. His hand shakes a little bit as he puts his money back into his wallet.

 

.

 

“Akaaaaaaaashi!” comes a loud voice as Akaashi slips back into his dorm room. Within seconds, Bokuto is in front of him, that large, dorky smile on his face. He comes to a halt just a few inches from Akaashi, as always. Bokuto has very little concept of personal space. “You got coffee again?” He tilts his head to the side, a concerned look on his face. “You didn’t tell me, man! What if I wanted a hot chocolate, huh?”

 

“You certainly don’t need any more sugar,” Akaashi says. “Anyways, this isn’t coffee.”

 

“Coffee or not coffee, it doesn’t matter!” Bokuto insists. “Because, Akaaaaashi, you never get coffee or drinks like coffee multiple times in one day! So that means something’s going on here!”

 

“Absolutely nothing is going on,” Akaashi mutters as he tries to slip by Bokuto. He’s well aware that it’s futile, though. Bokuto has a theory he lives by about never giving up on absolutely anything. On multiple occasions, it’s driven Akaashi to the point of madness.

 

“Oh shit!” Bokuto exclaims, bouncing by Akaashi’s side as they head over to the couch. “The cashier at the drink place is actually kind of hot! In that, y’know, kind of broody shy dude way! Is that why you go there so often?”

 

“No.” _Yes._

 

“Oh my god, that’s totally why! Akaaaashi, why didn’t you tell me you had a crush?”

 

“I absolutely do not have a crush.”

 

“Well, in that case, you’ll have no problem taking me with you next time!”

 

 _Oh, shit._ For someone who is widely known for not thinking anything through, Bokuto can be annoyingly cunning at times. There’s certainly no getting out of this one; if he declines, Bokuto will immediately pick up on the fact that he’s hiding something. If he accepts, he has a chance to get out without revealing anything, at least. So he sighs and says, “Fine. You can come with me to the shop tomorrow.”

 

“Hell yeah!” Bokuto whoops. “I’ll wear my best outfit to go meet your boyfriend.”

 

“Wha - why have you upgraded him from crush to boyfriend? He’s neither! Are you listening to me?!"

 

.

 

Akaashi Keiji is not religious, but he’s still offering up a prayer as he and Bokuto approach the store that today is Kenma’s day off. There is a reason Akaashi is not religious, though, because apparently God despises him. Kenma is situated at the counter, head buried in his phone, but still definitely on duty. “Man,” Bokuto says in a voice that’s not quite whispering, but as close as Bokuto ever gets to it, “he’s pretty, huh?”

 

 _Don’t even think about it,_ Akaashi’s inner voice snarls. He immediately scolds himself for even mentally snapping at his best friend. Instead, he just forces himself to shrug. “I suppose you could say that. Speaking objectively, of course.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Bokuto says, grabbing his arm to pull him forward into the shop. Kenma glances up at them as they enter. The breath leaves Akaashi’s body all at once as he notices the way that Kenma’s eyes soften the slightest bit as he lays eyes on Akaashi. He hopes desperately that Bokuto won’t notice. Bokuto strolls up to the counter, grinning. “Hey, hey, hey, my name’s Bokuto!”

 

“I didn’t think people usually introduced themselves before they ordered a coffee,” Kenma replies.

 

“Well, don’t you gotta have my name to like, write on your cups or whatever?” Bokuto asks.

 

“This isn’t Starbucks,” Kenma says. Akaashi tries to cover his snort, but mostly fails, causing Kenma to look over at him. Kenma raises an eyebrow. “Hi, Keiji,” he says, a question in his tone. Probably wondering who Bokuto is, Akaashi supposes.

 

“Hello, Koz- Kenma,” Akaashi quickly corrects himself. “This is my roommate, Bokuto Koutarou, though apparently he’s already introduced himself. Bokuto, this is Kozume Kenma, my… uh…”

 

“Personal coffee maker,” Kenma says dryly.

 

“Nice to meet you, Kozume!” Bokuto says cheerily. “Huh, it’s really no wonder Akaashi comes here so often!”

 

“Bokuto,” Akaashi hisses through gritted teeth. “Go sit down. I’ll order something for you.”

 

“Hot chocolate,” Bokuto sings.

 

“They don’t have hot chocolate here.”

 

“Fine,” Bokuto says with a pout. “Then a mocha.”

 

Akaashi groans, watching as Bokuto finally goes to sit down before turning back to Kenma. “Sorry about that. He can be a bit much at times.”

 

“It’s fine,” Kenma replies, tone soft. “I also have my fair share of experiences with an obnoxious roommate. So I get how it can be.”

 

“I’ll have to meet him some day, then. It’s only fair.” The words come out before Akaashi can fully think about them, and upon saying them, he nearly gasps and covers his mouth. It sounds incredibly forward. It’s very much not Akaashi’s usual style - well, not that he actually has an established flirting style, but _still._ There’s certainly no way he can come back from this.

 

The look on Kenma’s face, though, is more of one of bemusement, the slightest of sparkles reflected in his golden eyes. He says, “I’m not sure about that, mostly because he'd find some way to embarrass me.” He pauses for a second, and Akaashi feels like his heart is about to leap out of his throat. “But I… uh, I wouldn’t mind doing something else. Just without the obnoxious friends.”

 

Akaashi feels his jaw drop. It’s a completely involuntary response, and he hates himself for it, hates himself for the way he stutters as he says, “A-are you asking me out?”

 

Kenma arches an eyebrow. “Uh, would it be a bad thing if I were?”

 

 _Breathe in._ Akaashi inhales for a few seconds, pauses, and then exhales all at once, trying to get the tension to leave his body. This time, he doesn’t stutter as he says, “No. Definitely not a bad thing. I’d like that a lot, actually.”

 

“Good,” Kenma says, his mouth curving up slightly again. He rips off a piece of printer paper and scrawls something on it, presenting it to Akaashi. “My phone number. Just… don’t let your roommate get ahold of it. I have enough people spamming my phone with texts already.” He looks pointedly at Hinata, who is in the process of crafting a mocha. Hinata just sticks out his tongue in return.

 

“I’ll take good care of it. Thank you,” Akaashi says as he slips the piece of paper into his pocket. “Uh, one mocha and a… well, you know.”

 

“A black coffee.”

 

“Kenma, please.”

 

Bokuto’s eyes are wide as saucers when Akaashi sits back down at the table, a blush coloring his cheeks. “Oh my _god_ , you were so flirting. I knew there was a reason you came here all the time! Did you get his number at least?!”

  
  
Akaashi sheepishly takes the slip of paper out of his pocket, and sends up another prayer that Kenma’s got in soundproof headphones or something, because Bokuto yells loud enough that everyone in a 300 meter radius can probably hear it.

 

.

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_Hi, it’s Keiji._

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_hi keiji. one request: can we not go to a coffee shop?_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_What if I really like coffee?_

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_ok fine. to make me believe that you’ll have to drink an entire cup of black coffee_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_Shit. I take it back. No way I’d survive that._

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_You’ve mentioned you like video games, right?_

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_you mean you figured out that all i do at work is sit around and play games on my phone_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_….well, I wasn’t going to say it._

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_but yes, i do like games_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_Arcade okay?_

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_where have you been all my life_

 

.

 

Akaashi’s nervous to the point that he shows up at the arcade fifteen minutes early. He feels like a loser as he stands there, scrolling through social media on his phone, trying to hide his face under the dark baseball cap perched on his head. Thankfully, Kenma’s also five minutes early, so at least he isn't  _that_ much of a loser.

 

As they walk in, Kenma’s eyes make a beeline for the Street Fighter game. Akaashi frowns. “Come to think of it, I probably should’ve suggested somewhere else, considering how terrible I am at video games.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Kenma says. His hand brushes against Akaashi’s. Rather than pull away, Kenma’s fingers enclose over Akaashi’s, and Akaashi feels a shiver run up his spine. “I’ve played with far worse, I’m sure.”

 

Kenma takes advantage of their entwined hands to drag Akaashi over to the Street Fighter machine. Unfortunately, Akaashi’s prediction had been far too on point; Kenma kicks his ass five times in a row. The matchup is not even close, no matter what character Kenma chooses or suggests for Akaashi. He lets Akaashi choose the next game, though, and Akaashi pulls him over to the Skee-Ball machine. Akaashi has far too much confidence in his own hand-eye coordination. At this game, Kenma gets close, but still loses by just the slightest amount.

 

Kenma frowns, clearly not used to being beaten at arcade games. “Well, if your hand-eye coordination is so good, then you should be able to win me something at the crane machine.”

 

“Sure,” Akaashi agrees easily. “What would you like?”

 

“The biggest one,” Kenma says, crossing his arms across his chest. The smirk on his face communicates that he’s certain Akaashi won’t be able to get it.

 

Akaashi’s not entirely sure how something so secretly evil can reside in a body so beautiful, but he kind of likes it. He also is sure that Kenma is underestimating him entirely. In one fowl swoop, Akaashi picks up the large stuffed cat, drops it in the exit slot, and then presents it to Kenma. The stuffed animal is nearly as big as tiny Kenma, and it’s one of the cutest things Akaashi thinks he’s ever seen in his entire life. He can't help the way his cheeks heat up as he observes his shorter date, eyes wide and questioning. 

 

Kenma tries to knit his eyebrows together to appear grumpy, but Akaashi can hear his quiet (too, too beautiful) laughter. “You did not.”

 

“Anything for you, my dear,” Akaashi says.

 

“I can’t believe you,” Kenma says, wrapping his arms tighter around the cat. “Am I supposed to carry this around the entire time?”

 

Akaashi grins. “You asked for it.”

 

Kenma spends the rest of their time at the arcade desperately trying to get his revenge, but Kenma can’t work the claw machines, and none of the other games give him near enough tickets to purchase one of the big stuffed animals. He stuffs the tickets he’s won into his pockets and sticks out his bottom lip. Akaashi's heart skips a beat in response as an adorable pouting Kenma says, “One of these days, I’m going to get you back for this, Akaashi Keiji.”

 

Akaashi laughs quietly as he leads Kenma outside. “I’ll be looking forward to it,” he says sincerely, tilting his body towards Kenma’s in a way that’s not subtle in the least.

 

Perceptive Kenma picks up on it immediately. He glances up at at Akaashi, those gorgeous golden eyes sparkling, smiling softly as Akaashi leans down to kiss him for the first time. In the moment, Akaashi is one hundred percent convinced he is going to melt, or malfunction, or something equally as embarrassing, because Kenma is the most beautiful person he has seen possibly ever, and yet here he is, doing this with Akaashi. Thankfully, though, Akaashi survives, and the kiss is pretty damn good, if Akaashi may say so himself. He cradles Kenma's face in between his hands. It seems nearly impossible that he could be this lucky.

 

“You’re not half bad,” Kenma whispers, his dual-toned hair falling into his eyes, and Akaashi repeats the sentiment in their next kiss.

 

.

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_gonna come meet you after class_

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_bringing you coffee_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_You are not._

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_try me_

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_black. no sugar no milk just coffee_

 

**To: Kenma**

 

_I will not speak to you._

 

**From: Kenma**

 

_what kind of a terrible boyfriend_

 

.

Kenma waltzes up to Akaashi outside of Akaashi's classroom, bundled in about a million different layers, two cups in each of his gloved hands. Akaashi can only recognize him by the slice of his face that peeks out from in between his hat and his scarf - just his eyes and his tiny nose, plus a part of the trademark downward tilt of his mouth. His heart misses a beat in anticipation.

 

One of Kenma's hand shoots out to push a cup towards Akaashi. “I’m not drinking this,” Akaashi insists.

 

Kenma just rolls his eyes in response. “It’s hot chocolate, drama queen.”

 

“But… you don’t sell hot chocolate,” Akaashi responds, his eyebrows creasing. He’s sure Bokuto would visit the shop a lot more often - nearly as often as Akaashi does, maybe - if that were the case. It's not an outcome Akaashi particularly desires. 

 

“I brought a pack from home and made it at work,” Kenma says.

 

“Oh my god,” Akaashi says, his eyes widening. “You really _do_ love me.”

 

Kenma scowls in response. “I don’t know why you ever had any doubts.”

 

Akaashi chuckles, glancing down at his boyfriend, who tucks himself into Akaashi’s side. Pressing a soft kiss to the top of Kenma’s head, he lets his gaze drift over his boyfriend, who, despite his excess of clothing, seems to him to be more beautiful than ever. Still more than beautiful enough to send Akaashi’s head and heart into overdrive, even after all the months they’ve been together. He’s sure that he’ll never get used to it.

 

He gives Kenma a light squeeze. “I love you too. Just for the record.”

**Author's Note:**

> ...can you believe I wrote something that's not Kuroken? Me neither. But Akaken is adorable and beautiful and honestly deserves more attention, and I'm always here for rarepairs involving Kenma, so here you go!
> 
> Happy Akaken Day!
> 
> Please leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed.


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